Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-19
THE LOVERS.

Jessie Rue was twenty-three. The
sun Of that birthday had just risen,
and she stood before her looking
glass, fastening in her ears and about
her dainty wrists the pearls that had
been her uncle's gift the night before,
when he said to her:
''Jessie, you are twenty-three. You
are young and pretty still, but youth
and woman's beauty are heeting
things. | cannot live long, and do
not want you to be left alone, an un-
protected spinster, when [ die. Make
your choice before long, and then give
your old uncle some chance of bless
ing you on your wedding day."
Poor uncIe!" sighed Jessie, brush
ing away tear. HE is worth twenty
lovers to me, dear old man! Why
does he want me to marry? Make my
choice! Well, who should it be?
Ashley Honeywell = certainly the
handsomest man in our set? He adj
mires me. 1t would be worth the
trouble to make him love me- And
the doctor!" she laughed. ooh, how
much he is in love with me! A smile
makes him happy; neglect breaks his
heart. Oh, no! You are too plain,
too small, and bald as an EGG. I
shan't choose you, Doctor Manly"
Pinning a coquettish little bow in
her hair rs she said these words, Jes-
sic left the glass, and ran downstairs
and out into the garden, where she
always spent an hour before break
fast. A gentleman was there already
"a pleasant-looking man, who wore a
large hat Of Panama straw, and
collar that exposed his handsome
throat.
Good morning, Miss Rue!" DR..
Manly cried, taking off his big hat.
II have come to beg some flowers for
patient"
you must always help yourself to
be prouder of my garden than be-
ore" said Jessie. Lend me your
,nife."
And when he had opened it for her
she cut him a bouquet, fragrant and
beautiful, and arranged it with uner-
ring taste, and made him hold it
while she bound it together with some
silk from a reel she had in her en-
broidesed apron pocket, he looking at
her with admiration all the while,
When at last he thanked her and went
away, Jessie laughed.
81 don't believe in your patient,
Doctor Manly" she said to herself.
''It was only an excuse to see me-"
And she thought so every morning
when he came for his flowers. She
saw him oftenest in the morning.
Ashley Honeywell she met where she
visited at teas and dancing parties.
How often Jessie wished the two men
could be changed in some way.
Ashley was the man she intended to
hoose; but sometimes that light in the
ark grey eyes under the Doctors
reat straw hat made her wish that
he were Ashley and Ashley he.
Time passed. some little things
happened. Ashley had openly de-
clared his admiration. They were on
the very point of being engaged, and
He came fort the flowers still; but she
knew now that he did not do it that
he might meet her. He took them to
patient. Once, taking long walk,
she had paused at a little cottage OH
the roadside to ask for a drink Of
cool well water, and had seen, III q
great chair near the door, girl as
lovely as an angel, though she was
very evidently still quite i'll. Near
her, in great glass pitcher, stood a
bouquet of flowers, that Jessie thought
she recognized as those she had
plucked that morning in her own
garden.
These flowers are beautiful, are
they not?" the sick girl asked of Jes-
sic, while the little boy ran for fresh
water. "A dear friend brings them
to me every day. He says a lady has
told him 1 may have all | want.
He brings them a long way. The
lady must be very rich, 1 think.
fancy her old, white-haired = some
thing like my grandmother in her
pretty lace cap. | have all sorts OF
faneies in this invalid chair"
Then the nurse came in, and Jessie
said goodbye.
'.He has not even described me,
she thought; land oh, how lovely the
girl ISL And then she found herself
crying That evening she engaged
herself to Ashley Honeywell.
The Doctor came for his flowers
she picked them for him. but she did
not smile as she used, nor did he look
into her eyes. With every motion OF
the hand that held the flowers which